Graduate Programs in Literacy at USCB
USCB's first cohort of M.Ed. in Literacy graduates, class of 2023.
Are you seeking a master’s degree in literacy, or do you need master’s level courses for the SC Read to Succeed Endorsement?
Then join our new program! USCB’s Education Department will prepare teachers like you to improve reading achievement in P-12 classrooms in the Lowcountry of South Carolina and beyond.
This professional development opportunity is designed for local, in-service teachers, with a combination of on-campus, on-line, and field-based coursework. You’ll join a cohort, so you’ll be building both intellectual and social ties, and you’ll be taught by scholar-teachers with broad and deep experience in the field.
There are two ways to participate:
- The M.Ed. in Literacy: a 36-hour master’s degree program, which leads to add-on certification as a literacy teacher and a literacy coach; or
- The Graduate Certificate: a 12-credit, 4-course program, that leads to the South Carolina Read to Succeed Endorsement
apply online
Program Goals
- Design literacy curricula that meets the needs of all learners, particularly those who experience difficulty with reading
- Implement and evaluate small-group and individual instruction for learners
- Select, and use appropriate assessment tools to screen, diagnose, and measure students’ literacy achievement
- Collaborate with school personnel to use a variety of print and digital materials to engage and motivate all learners
- Integrate digital technologies in appropriate, safe, and effective ways that supports a literacy-rich learning environment
- Construct research-based literacy programs within the school
- Serve as in-house literacy leaders, guiding faculty and staff in becoming highly effective literacy teachers
- General Information
- Degree Requirements
- Course List
- FAQs
What are the application requirements?
- 36 Credit Hour M.Ed. in Literacy
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Only teachers who are currently employed in a school district and who hold a valid state teaching certificate or license are eligible for admission. In addition to the general institutional admission requirements, these are the additional admission requirements for the M.Ed.:
- Transcripts of all prior academic work, with an average overall GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale;
- A writing sample in the form of a model lesson plan.
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- 12 Credit Hour Graduate Certificate for the SC Read to Succeed Endorsement
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Undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
- Possession of a valid teaching certificate/license
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Education Masters Courses
| Course Name | Description | **Format |
|---|---|---|
| EDUC B620 Educational Research, Design, and Analysis (3) | This course provides an overview of the principles, models and techniques of educational research. A substantial portion of this course focuses on the acquisition of critical reading skills and on the analysis and interpretation of data produced by educational investigation and inquiry. | This course may be offered as a hybrid course. Candidates may meet each week for 1.25 hours face to face, and additional readings and discussion will be web-based. |
| EDUC B635 Advanced Educational Psychology (3) | This course will introduce and illustrate the proper use of these theories in providing insights into defining and solving problems that may be encountered in educational settings. The emphasis will be on the use of these theories to solve realistic and relevant problems drawn from your own personal experience or from cases in the readings. | This course may be offered as web-based or hybrid. Candidates will need to meet once with the instructor face to face and then all other instruction is web based. |
| *EDRD B619 Foundations of Reading (3) | This course provides candidates with comprehensive knowledge of the social, cultural, and linguistic factors that influence reading development. Emphasis is placed on practical application of theory, oral language development, phonemic awareness and phonics. | This course may be offered as web-based or hybrid. Candidates will meet once every four weeks and access instructor consistently online and/or face to face during office hours. |
| *EDRD B623 Differentiation in Reading Instruction (3) | This course requires that candidates conduct in-depth study of effective instructional strategies and current literacy methods and materials for instruction and formative assessment for K-12 classrooms. Emphasis is on serving the instructional needs of all students including the following groups: struggling readers, culturally diverse readers, distracted and disabled, and gifted and talented. | This course may be offered as web-based or hybrid. Candidates will meet once every four weeks and access instructor consistently online and/or face to face during office hours. |
| EDRD B624 Assessment and Instruction of English Language Learners (3) | This course focuses on determining reading and language needs of English learners through the use of screening and diagnostic assessments and using that information to inform teaching of English learners within the classroom setting. Candidates learn to administer quick assessments and design instruction and how instruction varies and students acquire language. Candidates choose one student’s data to present in a case study format. | This course may be offered as web-based or hybrid. Candidates will meet once every four weeks and access instructor consistently online and/or face to face during office hours. |
| *EDRD B625 Assessment Strategies for Reading (3) | This course will examine various types of assessments that will determine student’s strengths and areas for further instruction. In-service teachers will work with students to assess their reading by giving a baseline measure, interpret the data and select appropriate instructional strategies and materials for students based on data. Teachers will also be able to locate and administer non-biased assessments to culturally and linguistically diverse students. | This course may be offered as web-based or hybrid. Candidates may meet each week for 1.25 hours face to face, and additional readings and discussion will be web-based. |
| EDRD B626 Writing Across the Curriculum (3) | The course focuses on writing instruction related to developing the traits of good writing in fiction and nonfiction, along with the use of writer’s workshop for K-12 students. | This course may be offered as web-based or hybrid. Candidates will meet once every four weeks and access instructor consistently online and/or face to face during office hours. |
| *EDRD B629 Content Area Reading and Writing (3) | This course is designed to instruct graduate candidates, grades k-12, in developing methods and materials that will improve their students’ literacy skills in the content areas of math, social studies, science, and health. Emphasis is on the application of strategies that will support students in reading, writing, and working with media in the context of content area instruction. | This course may be offered as web-based or hybrid. Candidates will meet once every four weeks and access instructor consistently online and/or face to face during office hours. |
| EDRD B632 Action Research in Literacy Coaching (3) | Candidates will gain skills necessary for conducting action research in literacy education and coaching. This includes assessing the needs of teacher/students, identifying research-based interventions, designing and implementing a coaching plan including identification of assessment to document effectiveness of plan, and assessing effectiveness of coaching plan. | This course may be offered as a web-based or hybrid course. |
| EDRD B640P Practicum in Assessing and Teaching English Language Learners (3) | Supervised clinical experience in literacy that is implemented in the classroom. Candidates will demonstrate proficiency in planning, assessing and teaching using various methods of reading and writing that serve the needs of English Language Learners. | This is a practicum (field experience). |
| EDRD B645 Advanced Coaching for Literacy Education (3) | Candidates will gain the skills to create, manage and evaluate school-wide reading programs. This includes learning adult learning theories, developing professional learning opportunities, and supervising the literacy program. | This course may be offered as web-based or hybrid. Candidates may meet each week for 1.25 hours face to face, and additional readings and discussion will be web-based. |
| EDRD B650 Capstone: Literacy Coaching Seminar (3) | This course is the culmination of the M.Ed. program and focuses on bringing together all of the South Carolina Literacy Competencies for Reading Coaches (SCDE, 2015). Candidates participate in presentations by various literacy specialists and exemplary literacy coaches from South Carolina, evaluate a variety of literacy programs, materials, and assessments, and prepare a professional portfolio. | This course meets once weekly face to face. |
* indicates a course that is needed for Read to Succeed Endorsement.
**Some courses may be offered in a hybrid format, but, initially, the program will be less than 50% online. The program may develop into a web-based or hybrid format based on the needs of participants.
| Estimated Cost of Attendance per Semester (6 Credit Hours) SC Resident with SC Certified Teaching Certificate |
|
|---|---|
| Tuition Rate | $2,173.50 |
| Technology Fee | $84 |
| Security Fee | $25 |
| Estimated Program Fees | $200 |
| Total | $2,482.50 |
| Total Cost of 36 credit hour program (2 years/6 semesters) |
$14,892.50 |
| Note: The above is an estimated total Cost of Attendance based on students that are a resident of South Carolina and hold a South Carolina Certified Teacher Certificate. Tuition and fee rates listed are estimated for the academic year 2021-22 and are subject to change and final approval by the USC Board of Trustees. Estimates do not include the cost of books and supplies and other miscellaneous fees that may be assessed. The complete tuition and fee schedule is available online here. | |
- Class cohorts will include 20 students.
- Bruce Marlowe, Ph.D., Chair, Department of Education, 843-208-8378; bmarlowe@uscb.edu